Bhairahawa sets title clash with Baitadi

Kathmandu/Cricnepal: Region Number IV Bhairahawa defeated Region Number VII Pokhara by five wickets to enter into the finals of the ongoing U-16 National Cricket Tournament at Tribhuwan University Ground, Kirtipur on Wednesday.

Pokhara opted to bat first after winning the toss and managed to score a low total of 116 runs in 39 overs losing all wickets.

Keshab Khatri top scored 31 runs off 59 balls with four fours. Sangharsha Poudel remained not out at 25 runs off 24 balls that included three fours while Aashik Shrestha added a48 ball-13 runs, only the other batsman to make a double digit score.

Shankar Rana, Iklakh Ahmed and Rupesh Bastola grabbed two wickets each while Khu Bahadur Disuwa and Rahul Bhattarai picked up a wicket each for Bhairahawa.Iklakh Ahmed of R-4 (Bhairahawa) receiving the Man of the Match trophy
In reply, Bhairahawa chased the target in 33 overs losing five wickets. Nurdhoj Sen scored 27 runs from 64 balls including three fours while Manish Gurung remained not out at 19 runs off 30 balls with three fours. Sabin Ratna Shakya made 18 runs off 29 balls that included two fours and a six. Prithvi Chaurel Chhetri also added 12 runs off 24 balls.

Pankaj Darai, Sushil Kandel and Santosh Upadhyay grabbed a wicket each for Pokhara.

Iklakh Ahmed was adjudged as man of the match.

In the other match played at Engineering Ground, Pulchowk, Region Number II Birgunj thrashed Region Number III Kathmandu by huge 141 runs.

Winning the toss, Birgunj opted to bat first. With Aaquab Ansari scoring 86 runs off 94 balls including twelve fours, Tarik Ansari making 43 runs off 29 balls with five fours and a six and Nitesh Thakur and Alfaj Mansuri scoring 42 runs each, Birgunj made a big total of 277 runs in 40 overs losing seven wickets.

Shahid Mohammad grabbed four wickets, Raj Kumar Karki picked up two wickets while Dipesh Poudel picked up a wicket for Kathmandu.

In reply, Kathmandu managed to score only 136 runs in 31.6 overs losing all wickets. Shahid Mohammad scored 44 runs off 55 balls that included five fours and a six. Raj Kumar Karki scored 29 runs off 37 balls while Jeevan Lamsal remained the next batsman to score a double digit score with 17 runs off 20 balls including three fours.

Anand Gupta and Pranay Das picked up three wickets each while Samsad Ansari grabbed two wickets. Man of the match Aaquib Ansari picked up a wicket.

On Thursday’s final, Bhairahawa will take on Region Number VI Baitadi at TU Ground, Kirtipur.a